Speaking in Tech: Nope, sorry waiter. I won't pay with that card reader speaking_in_tech Greg Knieriemen podcast enterprise This is the first week of our "Podcast Idol" competition at our weekly tech podcast – with Fred "Spike" Nix, Ed Saiptech and special guest, John Williams, President of Reduxio. This week the group discusses Delta's power outage, AWS at the top of Public Cloud and Oracle's …
It may be a surprise to folk in the UK as I'm not aware of the BBC doing this, but NPR in the US does offer transcripts of radio programs and has done for some time: http://www.npr.org/sections/ombudsman/2009/08/free_transcripts_now_available.html
To folk outside Blighty, it might not be such an unreasonable request. Particularly for folk who are deaf, hard of hearing or simply in an open-plan office!
"If listening to audio doesn't work for you then podcasts are not for you. Not that complicated."
Perhaps they asked about transcripts specifically because listening to audio doesn't work for them. Some people simple do not process audio very well and many radio services do provide transcripts as a service to the hearing impaired. It's not that complicated.
Or... just stay with me, here... you can use a PLASTIC card to draw money directly from your checking account. I know, that sounds crazy, but imagine it: it has the convenience of and works like a credit card, but instead of drawing against credit it automatically DEBITS from your existing cash reserves held at the bank. Not really a credit card, but perhaps a "debit" card. Yeah, since it debits from your account and it is not credit.
Just crazy enough to make billions!
I stopped listening because they concentrate so much on the storage industry, which is something I have zero interest in (not being an "enterprise" IT guy I suppose). Almost none of the companies they speak of are well known outside data center and similar operations folks.
On the plus side they give a decent breakdown of each episode with MM:SS timings so I do sometimes download and listen to segments.
On the minus side, I loved Sarah Vela's sense of humour, I loved her voice and I especially loved her laugh (like when she leg-pulled her cohorts), and she's now left the show. Sad...
There's an interesting generation split here, when I'm looking for information I prefer to find it in written form, which I can peruse, skip through and re-read at my own pace. My son automatically looks for a video to show him how to do something, rather than have it in writing. I find video and audio feeds a lot less convenient simply because I'm often in an environment where listening to something is not so easy - either it's a noisy environment or it's somewhere quiet with other people who might not appreciate it. Having a transcript is easier, but failing that, I just don't bother with the article.
....but, then, you know, when you are in that situation, where you are not, as it were, reading, but more, by being engaged with an audio device, listening, paying attention to the person saying things, while they can see a little ticker showing them, you listen, so their ego can now feel caressed, and warm, because you listened, so they can carry on filling the time with their voice, and with getting your attention, and asking you to keep listening, it's something that you need to experience, to realize - what's that Simon? You brought an Uzi to this talk, how interesting, check it out listeners because Simon, who we know from our previous segment entitled talking with voices, now Simon has brought an actual full size real Uzi to the studio, it is obviously not a prop or a toy, it looks metallic and made a clanky sound when Simon hit the producer with it, don't do that Simon! They're not as cheap as they look! Oh well, producers, what are you gonna do. For those listeners who aren't aware the Uzi is an Israeli built firearm capable of shooting a lot of bullets in a very short time, so stay put because this might just get very exciting very soon. What are you going to do with that Uzi Simon, careful now, this glass may not be bulletproof....
`yep, I am a grumpy old bastard, but yet another vote for being able to read the actual content. If there is not enough content for a article, why should I waste my time with audio/visual fluff?
Text does not interrupt those around me. When interrupted I can just let the window fall to the background until ready for it again.
No, I am not a headphone-kind-of-guy. I want some awareness of my surroundings, and need to respond to walk-up questions.
Seriously, you people are arguing about a transcript for a podcast which is inherently an audio medium. Would you demand the same of your TV stations? Would you demand that of your radio stations? (Yes, NPR has transcripts but most radio shows do not).
If you are complaining about the lack of a transcript for a podcast, you clearly don't understand how this works and a podcast isn't for you. Move along, read news and commentary elsewhere on The Register.
By the way, I'm sure some of you would also prefer a good old piece of paper to read your news. Thankfully you can print a web page.
> Would you demand the same of your TV stations?
Yes - they're called subtitles in the video medium, quite useful for the deaf, or even if you don't want the noise to distract from other things if you're not paying 100% attention to the program. Oddly they are widely available.
The main problem is that automatic-transcription services are not hugely accurate, and human-dependent services are pricey for the podcast market.
actually, i do clearly know how 'this' works. it's a podcast, not string theory. and, with regards to knowledge, it's evidently YOU who are lacking. hearing loss of varying degrees is just one reason people might want or need a transcript. next time, think for a minute before denigrating people who have different needs or opinions than yourself.
i'm certain that the only person lacking knowledge about how a podcast works is you. if you did know, then you'd also IMMEDIATELY realise the problems inherent in an audio only source of information. hearing loss of varying degrees is the most obvious of the reasons transcripts should be made available.
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